Reviewers of bush poetry
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:56 pm
Australia is renowned for its lack of reviewers of poetry. This does not merely apply to bush verse, but across all genres.
By 'reviewer', I mean somebody who is prepared, without fear or favour, to offer a critique of a book of poems. Of course, there is no 'right' way to view any poem, but it is generally recognised that it is a valuable exercise for an individual, with all his or her inherent biases, to bring to bear their intelligence, experience, concentration and analysis to bear upon a particular body of work.
A good review will spark the reader's interest in the work being reviewed. The reader will usually read the review at two levels. On the one hand, of course, he will read what is being said about the book. But on another level, the reader will also be learning about the reviewer. Am I likely to agree with this particular reviewer? If the answer is yes, and the reviewer likes the book, then I probably will also like it. But if the answer is no, and the reviewer does not like the book, then perhaps I will also like it!
So why are there so few poets prepared to step forward and review other people's works? It probably has a lot to do with us being a small country. People are afraid of offending others, or making enemies. In a way, I suppose, the internet, by bringing us all closer together, accentuates this problem.
It's a shame, and I'm as guilty as anybody else. If we could find more courage and tolerance, to write and encourage reviewers, it would be better for us all.
Wouldn't it be great, for instance, if the ABPA could guarantee that a professional review (one that concentrated on the poetry, and not the poet) could be guaranteed to be placed on the web-site for all Bush Laureate nominees, in all categories?
The ABPA magazine would, of course, be the obvious place to publish bush poetry reviews, but the more I think about it, the more opportunities I see.
Trad & Now is a magazine for folk and roots music. It has a bush poetry section, and another section for CD reviews. Why not bush poetry reviews?
State writers' centre newsletters, poetry club newsletters, local papers, all present themselves as potential publishers of well written bush poetry reviews. Published reviews would both advertise and educate, and could only benefit the movement as a whole.
Of course, reviewers don't generally get paid, but they usually do get to keep a copy of the book they are reviewing, so it's a good way to build your library.
What about it? Is it time we all put our hands up to have a go at being bush poetry reviewers?
By 'reviewer', I mean somebody who is prepared, without fear or favour, to offer a critique of a book of poems. Of course, there is no 'right' way to view any poem, but it is generally recognised that it is a valuable exercise for an individual, with all his or her inherent biases, to bring to bear their intelligence, experience, concentration and analysis to bear upon a particular body of work.
A good review will spark the reader's interest in the work being reviewed. The reader will usually read the review at two levels. On the one hand, of course, he will read what is being said about the book. But on another level, the reader will also be learning about the reviewer. Am I likely to agree with this particular reviewer? If the answer is yes, and the reviewer likes the book, then I probably will also like it. But if the answer is no, and the reviewer does not like the book, then perhaps I will also like it!
So why are there so few poets prepared to step forward and review other people's works? It probably has a lot to do with us being a small country. People are afraid of offending others, or making enemies. In a way, I suppose, the internet, by bringing us all closer together, accentuates this problem.
It's a shame, and I'm as guilty as anybody else. If we could find more courage and tolerance, to write and encourage reviewers, it would be better for us all.
Wouldn't it be great, for instance, if the ABPA could guarantee that a professional review (one that concentrated on the poetry, and not the poet) could be guaranteed to be placed on the web-site for all Bush Laureate nominees, in all categories?
The ABPA magazine would, of course, be the obvious place to publish bush poetry reviews, but the more I think about it, the more opportunities I see.
Trad & Now is a magazine for folk and roots music. It has a bush poetry section, and another section for CD reviews. Why not bush poetry reviews?
State writers' centre newsletters, poetry club newsletters, local papers, all present themselves as potential publishers of well written bush poetry reviews. Published reviews would both advertise and educate, and could only benefit the movement as a whole.
Of course, reviewers don't generally get paid, but they usually do get to keep a copy of the book they are reviewing, so it's a good way to build your library.
What about it? Is it time we all put our hands up to have a go at being bush poetry reviewers?